Dog days of Summer 🐾

✨Four months left in the year 👀

According to the ancient Greeks, August heat afflicted their dogs with lethargy and madness. It’s so interesting to consider how weather impacts outlook and disposition. I know it does — but for me, summer, sunshine, swimming pools and flip-flops have always encouraged real optimism. The future’s so bright…😎 But, summer’s ending soon. Autumn officially begins September 23rd. 🍂

August not only brought the digital release of our new film ABOVE THE TREES, but it also brought hundreds of new songs and albums in its wake. Like wonderful Charles in our movie — who I hope you got to meet — my emotions are my barometer as I sift and filter through new music. Like musical chairs, ever so gradually, the tracks seem to fall away on their own, until 20 remain.

The August playlist is filled with music that moved me — many tracks are from new bands, beginning with Dummy’s Avant-Garde Gas Station — which sounds exactly like you might imagine….sprawling, addictive, indie-rock shoegaze. Also standing out is the electronic pop of Kitba and Gelli Haha and Andy Jenkins.

There’s a great new track from the outstanding Kurt Vile and Luke Roberts EP. Water From Your Eyes has a new LP and Nights in Armor is sublime. A gorgeous, new acoustic track from Jeff Tweedy has me imagining stray cats wandering Valencia. After twelve years, Iceland’s múm is releasing a new album, featuring the ethereal Only Songbirds Have a Sweet Tooth. Closing the set is the brilliant Why Keep Still? — a new six minute James Blackshaw 12-string guitar track that delivers melody and emotion with virtuoso playing and songwriting. The kind of music that brings to mind legends Leo Kottke and William Ackerman.

This month also features Sister Ray Davies, Rafiq Bhatia, Rebecca Schiffman and a new track from the Lemonheads. It wasn’t until Evan Dando’s BABY I’M BORED when I really paid attention to their back catalog. My Drug Buddy was the first song that shook me. Annie and I caught Evan Dando at McCabe’s for a stunning set in Santa Monica back in ‘03. The new Key of Victory feels like an organic, in-studio track — a stirring meditation on life right now. I’m like a pinball rolling while the machine falls apart…

Thanks again to those of you who bought and enjoyed Above the Trees. It will be available here indefinitely, along with limited quantities of merch.

Here are two links to my August playlist. I hope you find some new artists to follow and support. Find it on Apple Music and Spotify.

🎵 August 2025

Dog days of Summer 🐾

🎵 July 2025